Not really magic at all
by feathersofglass
Summary: An unexpected event in the DoM causes Harry and his friends to fall through into the Doctor's universe. In a world without magic, the six teenagers end up in the custody of Henry van Statten who is convinced they are aliens. Perhaps he is right. Then the Doctor and Rose shows up, and the creature known as a Dalek escapes. Harry isn't sure if he wants to know what is happening here.
1. Capture

**DISCLAIMER: THIS AMATEUR WRITER IS NOT THE OWNER OF HARRY POTTER OR DOCTOR WHO. JUST THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW. WHY IS THIS IN CAPS I DON'T EVEN**

~CHAPTER ONE~

No one paid any mind to the raven haired teen as he appeared to wander aimlessly through the streets of London. Considering he was moving through the outskirts at the current time, he was being regarded as one of the homeless. It didn't really seem to matter that it was the middle of the night. He held the bags of stolen goods close, emerald eyes peering warily out from behind round wire rimmed glasses.

He ducked into an abandoned alleyway, glancing behind himself momentarily. Shouts broke out further down the main road as his theft was discovered too late. He rounded the bend and slipped out the other end unnoticed. He then calmly made his way through the streets until he reached an old abandoned warehouse.

The teen lightly tapped the padlock on the gate with a finger. A soft click resounded and he hastily undid the chain, crossed the threshold before closing the gate and locking it. He grinned as he turned and walked to a door reading: _AUTHORISED PERSONEL ONLY_.

He rapped the door frame lightly with his knuckles before he murmured "Phoenix."

A female voiced breathed back. "Harry." There was the sound of locks being undone and the door glided open smoothly. A red haired woman about the age of seventeen stood behind it.

"Ginny." Harry looked around before stepping through. He shut the door behind himself bathing the room in darkness and slid the dead bolt in place before locking the rest of it. "Are Ron and Hermione back yet?"

"Not yet, they should be very soon. Neville and Luna are already downstairs."

"Good." Harry nodded. "I got them."

"Really?"

Harry grinned, he could hear the excitement in her voice. "Yep, and I managed to snag a decent dinner too. I'll head downstairs, keep on look out for Ron and Hermione."

"Ok."

With practiced ease, Harry made his way through the dark and found the cold, metal railing of the stairs. He descended quietly, shoes making little noise against the metal. At the end of the stairs there was a long corridor, a dim glow at the far end. Harry headed for the light and pressed his hand against the adjacent wall. There was a hiss, similar to the sound made when air pressure is released. The "wall" slid upwards, revealing another room.

Harry entered the room only pausing to press his hand to a panel next to the doorway causing it to slide closed again. He crossed the sparsely decorated room bouncing slightly with excitement and sank into a battered armchair.

"You look like you enjoyed yourself." Neville, a round faced boy around the same age as Harry, said without looking up from his computer. The tapping of keys could be heard as his fingers sped across the keyboard.

"Well," Harry said allowing himself a small smile, "I have to admit it's far more interesting being chased by muggles than Death Eaters. Not nearly as stressful."

"Yeah, I suppose so." Neville sighed, typing ceased for a moment. "It's still dangerous though and you're supposed to be the leader round here. If you can't take a chase seriously, Merlin help us."

Harry laughed before looking over at Luna who was sitting on a rusty lawn chair opposite him. "Watcha reading, Luna?"

"Some muggles seem to be very good at guessing things. Yet they still get called mad for it. It's strange though, many of the things that they see are from our world, not this one." Luna flashed the cover of the magazine about cryptozoology at Harry. The blonde dreamer returned to her reading.

"Hmm, it is strange, not a single magical thing about this world. I'd say we should investigate but right now it's more important that we get the Gate up and running." Harry stood up, suddenly grim. "Only problem is, we don't know how much time has passed since we were in our own world."

"What do you mean?" Neville asked, shutting off the computer.

"Hermione said, when we first came here, that could move at a different speed in different dimensions. For instance, a month here could be an hour there and vice versa. Twenty years could have passed there by now and we would look no older than we do now."

"Which is why the sooner we get the Gate finished, the better." Hermione finished striding into the room, Ron and Ginny behind her.

"Oh good, you're back. Did you get the parts?" Harry said sitting back down.

"Sure did." Ron replied cheerfully. "Spose you did your bit to then?"

"Oh yeah, and I got dinner too. Should be enough to last the next few days." Harry reach down and revealed the couple of bags full of items that he'd swiped.

"Brilliant! I'm starving. What did ya find?" Ron exclaimed in delight.

"Well, let's see," Harry said unpacking the contents. "we've got canned soup, some apples, loaf of bread and a jar of honey."

"Good haul, I don't think we've gotten that much bef-"

There was a loud crash from above startling the group.

"What was that?" Ginny whispered.

Another crash resounded above. "They've found us!" Harry hissed, expression darkening. "Time to go!"

"But what about all our equipment? Everything we've done so far?" Hermione gasped.

Harry hesitated and glanced around the room. Loud footfalls and yells could be heard now.

"There's no time! They'll be here any minute!" Neville yelled.

Harry nodded and grabbed Hermione's arm. "I'm sorry."

They ran, ducking into a side passage. They'd all been prepared for the moment they'd be discovered and made sure that they had an escape route planned out. After a few minutes of running the tunnel began to slope upwards until they reached a set of double doors. Not even hesitating, the group burst through into the pale glint of dawn light.

They'd emerged in a dump yard, just outside the edges of London. They didn't stop running. They could still hear their hunters behind them, thundering footsteps getting louder as they closed in on the teens. The group did not falter not even when the black dressed figures came running down from behind the mounds of rubbish.

The sudden click of firearms being loaded did make them stop though. They halted gasping for breath as they were circled by the men. They were surrounded.

"Dammit." Harry growled his friends still behind him.

"Bravo." A man cried out from behind the gunmen. "I must admit you all put up a good fight, but surely you must have known you would have been caught eventually." He stepped forward smiling at the teens. His hair was neatly combed and he was wearing a black suit.

"No reason why we shouldn't try." Harry replied looking at the man with distaste. He glanced around at the circle of guns pointed at them. "We must be pretty important if you went to all this trouble. We even got you back in London. Was the ambush really necessary?"

"You and your friends have a talent for escaping me. I couldn't risk that happening."

"I thought we already explained that we're as human as they come. We're not what you think we are."

At this the man smirked. "The DNA analysis disagrees with you."

"Then it's wrong. Let us go, we're just trying to go home."

"No. I already told you what it is I do." He turned to the nearest gunman. "Load them all into the choppers. If they try to escape, shoot to stun not kill. I want them alive." He then turned and began to walk away.

As the soldiers converged on them Harry yelled out to the man's retreating back "You won't get away with this van Statten!"

He only smiled at the struggling teens.

_6 months later..._

Six months had passed. Six months of torture and captivity. Six months since Harry had last seen his friends. At first he had resisted, suffered in silence. Then, one of the guards who was assigned to his cell had brought the news that Ginny was dead. When Neville had been killed he'd struggled and screamed for help. No one came. Then came Luna's death. Ron and Hermione had lasted nearly five months. Harry was the only one left, fighting to survive with no reason to. He'd given up on the hope of returning home long ago.

Van Statten was convinced that they were aliens; he'd believe it ever since he'd seen Hermione unlock a door by tapping it the first time they'd met. Three years ago that had been. They were aware of the technology van Statten was hoarding and had attempted to steal some of it. Naturally they'd been caught. A DNA scan had come up non human not long after that and he'd been chasing them ever since. They only escaped by the carelessness of a guard and pure chance. It was all over now though. All Harry could do was reminisce over his whole life in his breaks between the testing that he preferred to call torture much to the scientist's discomfort.

It hadn't been easy adjusting to life in a universe without magic. They searched everywhere to find signs of the wizarding world but it didn't even exist. A world without magic made it impossible to use magic. They'd ended up abandoning their wands as they were basically nothing but sticks now. Then, when they'd begun to study the sciences and understand the mechanics of the world around them they were able to use it again. Except it was different now. Not magic. Manipulation of the particles, wandless and nonverbal. Harry wasn't completely sure of how exactly it worked; Hermione understood it better than all of them did.

They'd decided to build a way back home. They'd studied everything they could about modern sciences, learnt to blend in with the muggles perfectly. Then they'd started to steal technology to try and build their "Gateway" home.

A year after they'd started Hermione had realised that they couldn't go back. She started making excuses, saying that the calibrations were wrong; time zones between dimensions were different and had to be synchronised. Harry had confronted her about it. She'd explained then that their universe was gone. It had been destroyed when they'd fallen through. They didn't tell the others, unwilling to destroy what little hope they had left, almost thankful that they often had to move and leave behind majority of their work, start again from almost scratch. In the end, Harry knew they'd worked it out too. They were never going home because there was no home left.

Now here Harry was, the last of the wizards, chained up and being monitored at all times by machines, tested from time to time by scientist so they could know how exactly he worked, not ever listening to him, only ever asking what he was and where he came from to which he would always reply "Human" and "Earth". He knew his friends had been put through the same agony and they hadn't been strong enough. Six months of this pain and loss.

Then one day, there were shouts from above and around; something was amiss. Explosions and alarms sounded. The air stirred around him, practically begging him to use the particles, to bend them to his will once more. The day Harry escaped.

The day Harry Potter met the Doctor.

**AN: Um yeah, I killed everyone except Harry. Oops. Did I forget to mention that I'm a sadistic bitch? Maybe I should have said something. **

**Too late now. YAY. But on another note, this is the first crossover I have written so please be nice.**

**Review please!**


	2. Dalek

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR DOCTOR WHO. IF I DID I'D BE MAKING LOADS MONEY INSTEAD OF POSTING THIS ON **

~CHAPTER TWO~

"So, what is it? What's wrong?" Rose asked as the Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS, following him.

"Don't know, some sort of signal, drawing the TARDIS off course." The Doctor said thoughtfully as he looked around.

"Where are we?" Rose said looking around as well.

"Earth, Utah, about half a mile underground." He replied looking over at a glass case containing some sort of stuffed alien.

"And... when are we?" Rose asked.

"2012."

"God, that's so close. I should be... twenty six." Rose mused as the Doctor flicked a switch.

The houselights flickered to life revealing a giant museum-like room filled with alien artefacts.

"Blimey..." Rose breathed. "It's like a great big museum."

"An alien museum. Someone's got a hobby. They must've spent a fortune on this stuff. Chunks of meteorite, moon dust, that's the mileometer from the Roswell Spaceship." The Doctor said pointing to different items in the cases.

"That's a bit of Slitheen!" Rose gasped noticing the large, long clawed arm. "That's a Slitheen's arm. It's been stuffed."

"Oh! Look at you." The Doctor murmured making his way over to a case containing a Cyberman's head.

"What is it?" Rose asked, coming over as well.

"An old friend of mine... Well, enemy. The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit. I'm getting old." Doctor stared at the head, lost in thought.

"Is that where the signal's coming from?"

"Nah, it's stone dead. The signal's alive, something's reaching out, calling for help." He pressed a finger lightly against the glass.

Instantly, an alarm went off and armed security guards rushed into the room, surrounding the Doctor and Rose. They aimed the rifles at the surprised duo, ready to fire.

"If someone's collecting aliens that makes you Exhibit A." Rose remarked.

The Doctor just smiled at the guards.

* * *

Henry van Statten emerged from the lift to the helicopter pad, walking briskly down the corridor as though he owned the place, which he did. As soon as he stepped out a small entourage of guards and personnel followed him.

"On behalf of all of us, I want to wish you a very happy birthday, sir," a man said, rushing over to his side, "And the President called to convey his personal best wishes."

"The President is 10 points down," van Statten stated, "I want him replaced."

The man frowned, "I don't think that's very wise, sir..."

"Thank you so much for your opinion. You're fired," he glanced back to the soldiers, "Get rid of him."

"Wha…" the man began but the guards just pulled him back, dragging him off.

"Wipe his memory, put him on the road someplace," he called back to them as he continued walking, "Memphis, Minneapolis, somewhere beginning with 'M,'" a rather tall, strawberry blonde woman rushed to take the man's place at his side, "So, the next President, what do you think? Republican or Democrat?"

"Democrat, sir," she replied.

"For what reason?" he asked sharply.

The woman tensed, knowing the wrong answer could end with her just like the last man, "They're just so funny, sir?" she said uncertainly.

He stopped and looked at her intently, "What is your name?"

"Goddard, sir, Diana Goddard."

He smiled, "I like you Diana Goddard," and turned to continue on as Goddard smirked, "So, where's the English kid?"

A young man hurried up to him, a distinct accent to him, "Sir! Sir! I bought ten more artefacts at auction, Mr. Van Statten."

"Bring 'em on, let me see 'em," Van Statten ordered.

"Sir, with respect, there's something more urgent," Goddard informed him, "We arrested two intruders 53 floors down. We don't know how they got in."

"I'll tell you how they got in. In-tru-da window."

No one laughed.

"In-tru-da window," he called back to them, "That was _funny_!"

They burst out with forced laughter.

He nodded, pleased, "Bring 'em in, let's see 'em, and tell Simmons I wanna visit my little pets. Get to it!"

He turned and walked through a door as Goddard tapped her earpiece, "Simmons? You'd better give me good news. Is it talking?"

"Not exactly 'talking,' no," Simmons replied back, the sound of a chainsaw and a semi-robotic screaming in the background.

"What's it doing?"

"Screaming. Is that any good?"

"What about the other one?"

"Apparently he's undoing the restraints again."

Goddard swore. "That's the fifth time this week! Why does he even bother?"

"For fun."

"For _fun_?" she asked incredulously.

"He said it not me."

She quickly cut off the connection as the chainsaw started up again and turned to join Van Statten in his office where 'the English kid' was showing him the purchased artefacts, "And this is the last...paid 800,000 dollars for it," the boy said, holding up a sort of triangular arched item with small ridges and lights on it.

Goddard looked over as the two intruders were brought in and led to the desk.

"What does it do?" Van Statten asked, taking the device from the kid.

"Well you see, the tubes on the side must be to channel something. I think maybe fuel..."

"I really wouldn't hold it like that," the Doctor cut in.

"Shut it," Goddard glared at him.

"Really, though, that's wrong."

"Is it dangerous?" the kid looked up at him, concerned.

"No," he smiled, "Just looks silly," he reached out to take the artefact when security readied their guns, forcing him to pause. Van Statten held up a hand, signalling it was alright and handed the object over, "You just need to be..." he ran his fingers gently over the artefact, playing a light note, "...delicate."

Everyone looked over rather impressed as he beamed at them, all the while playing it.

"It's a musical instrument," Van Statten smiled.

The Doctor nodded, "And it's a long way from home."

Van Statten stood, "Here, let me," he snatched it away from the Doctor who merely raised his eyebrows.

"I did say 'delicate,'" he reminded after a moment as Van Statten tried to make it play but only succeeded in making a series of beeping noises, "Reacts to the smallest fingerprint. It needs precision," Van Statten touched it more gently, managing a few notes to the Doctor's delight, "Very good. Quite the expert."

"As are you," Van Statten countered before tossing the instrument aside where it landed somewhere on the floor. The Doctor's eyes followed it, slightly alarmed at how the man had cast it off, "Who exactly are you?"

The Doctor turned back to him, a slightly more disdainful look in his eyes, "I'm the Doctor. And who are _you_?"

"Like you don't know," Van Statten scoffed, "We're hidden away with the most valuable collection of extra-terrestrial artefacts in the world and you just stumbled in by mistake?"

"Pretty much sums me up, yeah."

"The question is…how did you get in? 53 floors down? With your little cat burglar accomplice," he glanced at Rose, "Quite a collector yourself, she's rather pretty."

"She's gonna smack you if you keep calling her 'she,'" Rose threatened.

"She's English too!" he laughed, turning to 'the English kid,' "Hey, little Lord Fauntleroy, got you a girlfriend."

The young man rolled his eyes, "This is Mr. Henry Van Statten."

"And who's he when he's at home?" Rose asked.

"Mr. Van Statten owns the Internet."

"Don't be stupid, no one owns the Internet."

"And let's just keep the whole world thinking that way, right kids?" Van Statten smirked at her.

"So you're an expert on just about everything except the things in your museum," the Doctor reasoned, "Anything you don't understand, you lock up."

"And you claim greater knowledge?" Van Statten eyed him.

"I don't need to make claims. I know how good I am."

"And yet, _I_ captured you. Right next to the Cages. What were you doing down there?"

"You tell me."

"The Cages contain my only two living specimens."

"And what're they?"

"Like you don't know," Van Statten scoffed.

"Show me," the Doctor challenged.

"You wanna see 'em?"

"Blimey, you can smell the testosterone," Rose remarked.

"Goddard, inform the Cages," Van Statten ordered, "We're heading down," Goddard nodded, "You, English," he turned to the young man, "Look after the girl. Canoodle or spoon, or whatever it is you British do. And you, Doctor-with-no-name..." he turned and walked over to the lift, "Come and see my pets."

* * *

Van Statten led the Doctor to one of the heavy doors of "the Cages", eager to show off his prizes. "Caught this one six months back, there were six of them originally but only this one has survived this long. We've no idea what he is, only that he is male and very powerfully." He turned and entered a code to the Cage, caused the door to open.

Two guards walked out. "Welcome back sir, we've just finished putting him back into the restraints. He tried to escape again." One of them said.

"He's getting faster then. Learning." Van Statten commented. "Ensure it doesn't happen again."

"Yes sir." The guards said in unison.

"Learning?" the Doctor asked, curious.

"Fifth escape attempt this week. Each time he gets out the restraints progressively faster. Tried stronger restraints but he still is improving. We've had to intensify security." Van Statten said. "I'd like to know what he is though. Go on then." He waved a hand at the door "Impress me." He stepped back as the Doctor entered the Cage, "Don't open that door until we get a result," he ordered a guard quietly, both he and Goddard turning to watch a monitor of what was happening inside the Cage.

The Doctor watched the door shut before looking towards the dark end of the room. A pair of luminous green eyes stared back at him. "Look, I'm sorry about this. Mr Van Statten might think he's clever but don't mind him. I've come to help. I'm the Doctor."

"A doctor? That's new." A young male British voice remarked a slight tremor in his voice.

"It's all right. I'm not a scientist." The Doctor soothed. "I'm only here to help."

Conveniently, the lights came on at that moment, illuminating the alien. He blinked, eyes adjusting to the sudden light.

"Help? Why would you want to help me?" he asked sounding confused.

It took a moment for the Doctor to respond, surprised by the sight of the alien. He looked human. It was only the fact that the emerald irises of his eyes glowed slightly in the light that gave it away. He tugged lightly at the restraints holding his arms above his head. "Because I caught a distress signal. It drew my ship off course causing me to land here. I thought it might have been you."

"Nope. Does it look like I'm able to send any sort of signal?"

"Fair point. Must have been the other alien than. What are you anyway? How did you end up on Earth?" the Doctor asked changing the subject swiftly.

"How should I know? I didn't even believe I was an alien till a month or so ago." He retorted sharply.

"Alright then, I'll work it out myself then." The Doctor grinned. I love a challenge."

The alien raised an eyebrow.

"Ok, humanoid in appearance, bioluminescent eyes. Narrows it down to roughly two hundred planets. What sort of things can you do? Any special abilities?"

"Um, we live longer than humans. I know that."

"Narrows it down. Anything else?"

"Slightly telepathic."

"Good, narrows it down."

"Um, we can control matter to a certain extent. Kinda like magic."

"You what?" The Doctor said in shock.

"Control matter." The alien said uncomfortably. "I sort just tell the particles what I want them to do and they do it."

"Praecantria." The Doctor whispered.

"What?"

"Praecantrians, or as the Eternals like to call them, well you, Reality Weavers."

"Oh." Was all the alien said.

"But Praecantria fell, during the Time War, how are you here?

"I don't know, I'm only just finding this out."

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"How long have you been on Earth?"

"Um, three years and six months. Give or take."

"Then why don't you know?"

"It's complicated."

"I'm brilliant. I can keep up."

"Modest too." The Doctor gave him a pointed look. "Fine. As far as I know, my friends and I have been on Earth our whole lives. Then, three and a half years ago, there was an... incident that lead to us being flung into a parallel universe. This universe."

"You came from a parallel Earth." It wasn't a question.

"Yep and we were trying to find a way back. Only all our attempts failed. The Gate couldn't find our universe. It didn't exist anymore. We think it collapsed when we crossed over."

"I don't think it collapsed." The Doctor said softly.

"So it's still there?" the Praecantrian exclaimed in delight.

"No. I don't think it even existed."

"Oh." He said sadly. Then he perked up. "Actually that's a good thing. It means I wasn't responsible for the deaths of trillions of lifeforms."

"I suppose so." The Doctor smiled at him.

"But then, what was it? It seemed pretty real to us."

"I'd assume it was some sort of stasis. Your people were probably trying to preserve the only ones left of your species. Six children put in stasis with an imaginary land to keep them sane and occupied. Whatever you did broke you all out of stasis. Where did you wake up?"

"The London Underground. Some sort of secret room that looked exactly like the one we found in the fake universe."

"Well at least they made sure you were safe. What your name?"

"Well I'm not sure if it's my real name anymore..."

"Chances are it is." The Doctor countered.

"Oh alright then. Harry Potter." The Praecantrian rolled his eyes.

The Doctor blinked then grinned. "All right then. Harry Potter, I'm gonna get you out of here. Just you wait."

He bounced over to the door and knocked on it. "All done in here, so if you'd like to open the door."

The door to the Cage opened and Van Statten came in flanked by Goddard and the guards. "So," he said happily turning to Harry. "Now we know what you are. The last Praecantrian." He let the name roll off his tongue as though testing it.

"Yeah, and a name does so much." Harry said sarcastically. "If you knew that sooner, would you have stopped probing and dissecting my friends before they died from it?"

"Probably not." he shrugged.

"Congratulations, Van Statten you reduced an endangered species from six members to just one." Harry snapped. "And each of those lives were worth a million of you."

"You seem a lot more certain of yourself now you know what you are."

"Your point? I stand by what I said before; I could crush you skull with a single thought if I wanted to which I do. But I won't. You want to know why?"

"Why?" the Doctor asked startling everyone.

Harry collected himself. "Because I know that I'm better than that." He said firmly.

"Exactly. You are." The Doctor nodded. "Which is why," he said turning to van Statten. "If you know what's good for you, you'll let him go."

"No. Now, did you want to see the other one or not?" Van Statten said firmly.

"Fine." The Doctor said. He turned to Harry. "I'll be back for you."

* * *

Van Statten led the Doctor to the next heavy door "We've tried everything. The creature has...shielded itself but there's definite signs of life inside," he turned and entered a code to the Cage, opening it behind him.

"Inside?" the Doctor frowned, "Inside what?"

"Welcome back, sir," Simmons stepped out, wearing a protective suit, "I've had to take the power down, the Metaltron is resting."

"Metaltron?"

"Thought of it myself," Van Statten smirked, "Good, isn't it? Although I'd much prefer to find out its _real_ name."

Simmons turned to the Doctor, "Here, you'd better put these on…" he offered him a thick pair of gloves, "The last guy that touched it...burst into flames."

"I won't touch it then," the Doctor replied.

"Go ahead, Doctor," Van Statten gestured to the door, "Impress me," he stepped back as the Doctor entered the Cage, "Don't open that door until we get a result," he ordered a guard quietly, both he and Goddard turning to watch a monitor of what was happening in the Cage.

The Doctor glanced back at the door as it shut before turning to look at some instruments Simmons had been using to torture the alien. He looked over and saw a faint blue light in the darkness, "Look, I'm sorry about this. Mr. Van Statten might think he's clever, but never mind him. I've come to help. I'm the Doctor."

"Doc-tor…" the alien began, a raspy, metallic voice echoing.

The Doctor's eyes widened in absolute shock, "_Impossible_."

"THE Doctor?" the Doctor could only watch in horror, his mouth open, as the lights came on around the alien, illuminating his greatest enemy, "Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"

The Doctor turned and ran to the door, banging on it, desperate to escape the Dalek chained within, "Let me out!"

"Exterminate!"

* * *

"Sir, it's gonna kill him!" Goddard cried as Van Statten refused to open the door.

"It's _talking_!" he countered, gleeful.

* * *

"You are an enemy of the Daleks!" it cried, "You must be destroyed!"

It waved its laser arm around helplessly as the Doctor's terrified expression faded into a huge grin, "It's not working!" the Dalek's eyestalk looked down at its laser arm while the Doctor laughed manically, "Fantastic! Oh, _fantastic_! Powerless! Look at you. The Great Space Dustbin. How does it feel?" he lunged at the Dalek who strained against the chains to back up.

"Keep back!"

The Doctor looked straight into its eyestalk, just inches away from it, "What for? What're you going to do to me? If you can't kill...then what are you good for, Dalek? What's the point of you?" he stepped back and circled it, the Dalek following his progress with its eyestalk, "You're nothing. What the hell are you here for?"

"I am waiting for orders."

"What does _that_ mean?" he scoffed.

"I am a soldier. I was bred to receive orders."

"Well you're never gonna get any. Not ever."

"I demand orders!"

"They're never gonna come! Your race is _dead_! You all burnt, all of you. Ten million ships on fire, the entire Dalek race wiped out in one second."

"You lie!"

"I watched it happen. I MADE it happen!"

"You...destroyed us?"

The Doctor blinked and walked away, turning his back on the Dalek, "I had no choice," he said quietly.

"And what of the Time Lords?"

"Dead. They burnt with you. The end of the last great Time War. Everyone lost."

"And the coward survived."

"Oh, and I caught your little signal..." the Doctor said mockingly, "'Help me,' poor little thing, but there's no one else coming 'cos there's no one else left."

The Dalek lowered its eyestalk, "I am alone in the Universe."

The Doctor smiled, "Yep."

"So are you," it looked up at him as his smile faded, "We are the same."

The Doctor spun around angrily, "We're _not_ the same, I'm not…" he stopped, "No, wait. Maybe we _are_. You're right, yeah, ok. You've got a point. 'Cos I know what to do. I know what should happen. I know what you deserve," he raised his eyebrows, "Exterminate!"

He turned and pulled a lever on the control panel, electrocuting the Dalek, watching as it started screaming again, "Have pity!"

"Why should I?" he glared, "You never did!" he turned and upped the voltage.

"Help me!"

Suddenly security burst into the room and grabbed the Doctor as he lunged for the control panel again, pulling him back.

"I saved your life," Van Statten turned to the Dalek, "Now talk to me! God damn it, _talk to me_!"

"You've got to destroy it!" the Doctor shouted as he was dragged away.

"The last in the Universe," Van Statten continued, ignoring the Doctor, "And now I know your name. _Dalek_. Speak to me, Dalek," no reply, "I am Henry Van Statten, now _recognize me_!" still no reply. So he turned to Simmons, "Make it talk again, Simmons," Simmons approached the Dalek, a dark smirk on his face, "Whatever it takes."

* * *

Rose looked around the messy workshop Adam or, as Van Statten liked to call him, 'that English kid,' worked in as he showed her around.

"Sorry about the mess," Adam apologized, "Mr. Van Statten sort of lets me do my own thing. So long as I deliver the goods..." he watched as Rose prodded a few things on a workbench, before picking up an object, "What do you think that is?" he asked, handing it to her.

"Er...a lump of metal?" Rose asked.

"Yeah," Adam nodded, smiling, "Yeah, but _I_ think, well, I'm almost certain, it's from the hull of a spacecraft," Rose examined the lump of metal before placing it down carefully, "The thing is, it's all true. Everything the United Nations tries to keep quiet, spacecrafts, aliens, visitors to Earth, they really exist."

"That's amazing," she breathed.

"I know it sounds incredible," he nodded, sheepish, "But I honestly believe that the whole Universe is_ teeming_ with life."

"I'm gob-smacked, yeah," she smiled at him, if only he knew, "And you do what? Sit here and catalogue it?"

"Best job in the world," he rolled his eyes.

"Imagine if you could get out there. Travel amongst the stars and see it for real?"

"Yeah...I'd give anything," he sighed, "But I don't think it's ever gonna happen, not in our lifetimes."

"Oh, you never know..." she smirked to herself, "What about all those people who say they've been inside spaceships and things and talked to aliens?"

"I think they're nutters."

"Yeah, me too," she laughed, "So, how'd you end up here?"

"Van Statten has agents all over the world looking for geniuses to recruit."

"Ah, right, you're a genius."

"Sorry, but yeah...can't help it, I was born clever," he told her jokingly, getting her to smile, "When I was eight, I logged onto the U.S. Defence System, nearly caused World War Three."

"What, and that's funny is it?" she turned to him with wide eyes, having nearly experienced a real WWIII.

"Well you should've been there! Just to see them running about! Fantastic!"

"You sound like the Doctor."

"Are you and him..."

"No!" she said quickly, "We're just friends."

Adam nodded, "Good."

Rose smiled, a bit shy, "Why's it good?"

"Just is," he smiled back, both of them just holding the other's gaze for a moment.

"So..." she looked around, before turning to him, "Wouldn't you rather be downstairs? I mean, you've got these bits of metal and stuff, but Mr. Van Statten's got_ living_ creatures down there."

"Yeah...yeah well I _did_ ask but he keeps it to himself. Although, if you're a genius, it doesn't take long to patch in on the comm. system."

Rose laughed, "Let's have a look then!"

He turned to a computer and tapped in some keys, Rose observing over his shoulder as he worked, "I tried to check out the second alien, but the security on that one is too good, even I can't get through. But this one…this one doesn't do much. It's weird. It's kind of...useless, it's just like this...great big pepper pot."

He stepped back so Rose could see the Cage, where Simmons was approaching the Dalek, torturing it with one of the devices as it screamed.

"It's being tortured!" she gasped, alarmed, "Where's the Doctor?"

"I don't know," Adam shook his head.

"Take me down there. Now!" she turned and strode out of the room.

* * *

One of the guards pushed the Doctor into the lift with Van Statten, Goddard, and a few other guards to be taken to another part of the facility.

"The metal's just battle armour," the Doctor explained, "The real Dalek creature's inside."

"What does it look like?" Van Statten asked.

"A nightmare. It's a mutation. The Dalek race was genetically engineered, every single emotion was removed except hate."

"Genetically engineered..." Van Statten repeated, actually impressed, "By whom?"

"By a genius, Van Statten," the Doctor glared at him, "By a man who was king of his own little world, you'd like him."

"It's been on Earth for over fifty years," Goddard cut in, "Sold at private auctions moving from one collection to another. Why would it be a threat now?"

"Because I'm here," the Doctor replied, grim. He glanced at Goddard, "How did it get to Earth? Does anyone know?"

"Records say it came from the sky like a meteorite. It fell to Earth on the Ascension Islands. The Dalek burnt in its crater for nearly three days before anybody could get near it and all that time it was screaming. It must've gone insane."

"Must've fallen through time," he muttered, "The only survivor."

"You talked about a war?" Van Statten began.

"The Time War. The final battle between my people and the Dalek race. The Praecantrians got involved as well, allied themselves with us. Harry is the only survivor of his race too."

"But you survived too," the man eyed him.

"Not by choice," he muttered, not seeming to notice the look in Van Statten's eyes.

"This means that those two aliens aren't the _only_ ones on Earth, Doctor, there's _you_," Van Statten grinned, "The only one of your kind in existence."

* * *

The lights of Van Statten's examination room flashed on, illuminating the Doctor who had been chained up to a rack and stripped of his shirt and jacket. Van Statten stood behind an instrument, pointing it at the Doctor.

"Now, smile!" he shouted as the instrument shot some sort of red beam over the Doctor's torso, scanning him, causing him to moan in pain and grimace. An image of his ribcage appeared on a wall monitor, his two hearts beating rapidly within it, "Two hearts." Van Statten said in delight, "Binary vascular system, oh I am so gonna patent this."

"So that's your secret." The Doctor said heavily. "You don't just collect this stuff, you scavenge it."

"This technology has been falling to Earth for centuries," Van Statten scoffed, "All it took was the right mind to use it properly. Oh, the advances I've made from alien junk, you have no idea, Doctor. Broadband? Roswell. Just last year my scientists cultivated bacteria from the Russian Crater, and do you know what they found? The cure for the common cold. Kept it strictly within the laboratory of course, no need to get people excited. Why sell one cure when I can sell a thousand palliatives?" he smiled smugly.

"Do you know what a Dalek is, Van Statten? A Dalek is _honest_. It does what it was born to do for the survival of its species, that creature in your dungeon is better than you."

"In that case, I will be true to myself and continue," Van Statten replied, walking back to the scanner.

"Listen to me!" he shouted, "That thing downstairs is going to kill every last one of us!"

"Nothing can escape the Cages," Van Statten waved him off, running the scanner again, watching as the Doctor writhed in pain.

"But it's woken up! It knows I'm here! It's gonna get out! Van Statten, I swear no one on this base is safe! No one on this planet!"

* * *

Adam entered the room just outside the Cages followed by Rose, "Hold it right there!" one of the guards shouted.

Adam just flashed his ID, "Level _3_ access. Special clearance from Mr. Van Statten," they walked past Simmons and entered the Cage, Rose staring intently at the Dalek within, "Don't get too close..." he warned as she started walking towards it.

She looked up, peering into its eyestalk, "Hello?" it just continued to stare, "Are you in pain? My name's Rose Tyler. I've got a friend, he can help. He's called the Doctor. What's your name?"

"Yes," it answered.

"What?" she frowned, concerned.

It raised its eyestalk to look at her, "I _am_ in pain," it said wearily, "They tortured me. But still...they fear me. Do _you_ fear me?"

"No," she shook her head lightly.

It lowered its eyestalk, "I am dying."

"No, we can help!"

"I welcome death. But I am glad...that before I die...I met a human who was not afraid."

Rose looked at it, overwhelmed with sadness and pity, "Isn't there anything I can do?"

"My race is dead. I shall die alone."

Rose blinked back the tears in her eyes before gently reaching out and placing her hand on the Dalek.

"Rose, no!" Adam shouted.

But he was too late.

The place where Rose had put her hand suddenly burned bright orange. She snatched her hand back, looking down at it and then up at the Dalek.

"Genetic material extrapolated, initiate cellular reconstruction!" it shouted, its voice growing stronger, angrier. It burst out of its chains, sparks flying around it.

Simmons ran in, "What the hell have you done?" he turned to the Dalek, one of his devices in hand as it pointed its sucker at him, "Whatcha gonna do? Sucker me to death?"

The Dalek proceeded to do just that, placing the sucker over Simmon's face and sucking his head, cracking his skull as Adam and Rose ran outside, "It's killing him!" Rose shouted at the guards, "Do something!"

"Condition red!" a guard called into the comm., shutting the door to the Cage and sealing it, "Repeat, condition red! This is not a drill!"

* * *

Van Statten looked up at the code red warning coming over the system, the lights flashing, the alarms blaring.

The Doctor, sweating with pain, looked up as well, "Release me if you want to live."

* * *

The Doctor, Van Statten, Goddard, and some guards ran out of the lift and into Van Statten's office. The Doctor ran over to a monitor that linked down to just outside the Cage, "You've got to keep it in that cell. Let the other alien out, he might be able to help." Van Statten looked like he was about to argue but the Doctor glared at him so he just nodded meekly and a guard ran over to the other Cage.

"What's happening?" Harry asked in alarm as the door swung open, having already removed the restraints. The guard said nothing, just ushered him out. Harry ran over to Rose, noticing the monitor.

"Doctor, it's all my fault," Rose walked up to the camera. She noticed Harry now standing next to her. "Who are you?"

"Um, Harry, the – uh - other alien. Can we talk about this later?" He said glancing over at the other door.

"I've sealed the compartment," one of the guards stated, "It can't get out, that lock's got a billion combinations."

"The Dalek's a genius," the Doctor countered, "It can calculate a thousand billion combinations in one second flat."

Those in the room all turned to look at the door, watching as the Dalek did just that. The doors burst open, Rose, Harry and Adam moving into the hall as the two security guards before them took aim, "Open fire!" the main guard shouted.

"Don't shoot it, I want it unharmed!" Van Statten ordered.

"Rose, get out of there!" the Doctor called, but Rose just stood there, watching.

The Dalek advanced upon them, the bullets having no effect at all. The guard turned to his female partner, "De Maggio, take the civilians and the alien and get them out alive. That is your job, got that?"

"You, with me," she turned to Rose, Adam and Harry, leading them away as the Dalek approached the screen, smashing right through it, cutting off their visual.

"Abandoning the Cage, sir!" the guard called over the audio.

Goddard turned and quickly moved to one of the computers in the office, the Doctor and Van Statten moving to look over her shoulder, "We're losing power. It's draining the base. Oh, my God. It's raiding entire power supplies for the whole of Utah."

"It's downloading," the Doctor replied.

"Downloading what?" Van Statten frowned.

"Sir, the entire West Coast has gone down," Goddard reported.

"It's not just energy," the Doctor said, "That Dalek just absorbed the entire Internet. It knows _everything_."

"The Daleks survive in me!" they heard over the audio just before a beam was fired and things went to static.

"Sir, the cameras in the vault have gone down," Goddard added, trying to check the other visual feeds.

"We've only got emergency power, it's eaten everything else, you've got to kill it now!" the Doctor yelled.

"All guards to converge in the Metaltron cage, immediately," Goddard called into the comm.

* * *

De Maggio led Rose, Harry and Adam through another set of guards in a corridor, all in wait for the Dalek, "Civilians! Let them through!"

They ran past, out of sight, the guards turning their guns, ready again, when the guard from the Cage ran into view, "Cover the north wall. Red division, maintain suppressing fire along the perimeter. Blue Division hold…" before he could utter another command the Dalek shot him from behind, the guards immediately opened fire but the bullets seemed to melt before they even touched the metal casing.

The Dalek, though surrounded, simply fired its laser at the guards, killing them all, one by one.

* * *

"Tell them to stop shooting at it!" Van Statten turned to Goddard.

"It's _killing_ them!" she argued.

"They're dispensable, that Dalek is unique," he leaned forward and grabbed the comm., "I don't want a scratch on its bodywork? Do you hear me? Do you hear me?"

The sound of gunshots faded into silence and they realized it was _not_ because they were following his instructions.

Goddard sent a glare at Van Statten before pulling up a map of the base on the computer to track the Dalek, "That's us right below the surface, that's the Cages, and that's the Dalek," she showed the Doctor.

"This museum of yours...have you got any alien weapons?" he asked.

"Lots of them, but the trouble is...the Dalek's between us and them."

"We've got to keep that thing alive," Van Statten stated, "We could just seal the entire vault, trap it down there."

"Leaving everyone trapped with it?" the Doctor rounded on him, "Rose is down there. I won't let that happen. Have you got that?" Van Statten stood up but the Doctor turned back to the computer, pointing at a spot on the map, "It's got to go through this area. What's that?"

"Weapons testing," Goddard answered.

"Give guns to the lawyers, technicians, anyone, everyone. Only then have you got a chance of killing it," Goddard nodded and stood up to let the Doctor take her place.

* * *

Rose stopped short at the foot of a flight of stairs, looking up them thankfully, "Stairs! That's more like it!" she turned around as Adam, Harry and De Maggio reached her, "It hasn't got legs, it's stuck!"

"It's _coming_!" De Maggio shouted, "Get up!" they ran up the stairs, looking over the banister to watch the Dalek.

It stopped at the foot of the stairs, looking at them.

Adam breathed a small sigh of relief before calling down to it, mockingly, "Great big alien death machine. Defeated by a flight of stairs."

The Dalek's eyestalk turned to look up at them, seeing De Maggio still had her gun at him.

"Now, listen to me," the woman called down, "I demand that you return to your cage. If you want to negotiate, then I guarantee that Mr. Van Statten will be willing to talk. I accept that we imprisoned you and maybe that was wrong. But people have died, and that stops. Right now. The killing stops, have you got that?" no reply, "I demand that you surrender, is that clear?"

"El-e-vate," the Dalek called after a moment, starting to levitate in the air and float up the first few steps of the stairs.

"Oh my God," Rose breathed as it continued up, all of them stunned.

"Adam, get them out of here," De Maggio ordered.

"Come with us, you can't stop it!"

"Someone's got to try," she said, pushing them, "Now get out! Don't look back, just run!"

Adam, Rose and Harry ran up the rest of the stairs as the Dalek advanced, De Maggio shooting at it without success. The Dalek fired its laser at her just as the others reached the corridor.

* * *

"I thought you were the great expert, Doctor," Van Statten sneered as the Doctor worked at the computer, "If you're so impressive, then why not just reason with this Dalek? It must be willing to negotiate, there must be _something_ it needs, everything needs something."

"What's the nearest town?" the Doctor asked out of nowhere.

"Salt Lake City."

"Population?"

"One million."

"All dead." He said looking up from the computer. "If the Dalek gets out, it'll murder every living creature, that's_ all_ it needs."

"But why would it _do_ that?!" Van Statten yelled.

"Because it honestly believes they should die. Human beings are different, and anything different is wrong. It's the ultimate in racial cleansing and you, Van Statten, you've let it loose!"

A visual suddenly came up on the computer of the weapons testing area, soldiers positioning themselves.

The Doctor leaned over to the comm., "The Dalek's surrounded by a force field. The bullets are melting before they even hit home but it's _not _indestructible. If you concentrate your fire, you might get through. Aim for the dome, the head, the eyepiece. That's the weak spot."

"Thank you, Doctor," one of the commanders called back, scoffing, "But I think I know how to fight one single tin robot. Positions!" he gave the signal and the soldiers readied their guns. A few moments later Harry, Rose and Adam ran in, right into the middle of the area, "Hold your fire! You three, get the hell out of there!" they ran past the guards, making it to an outside door as the Dalek slowly came into view.

The Doctor watched from another side camera as Harry, Rose and Adam stopped to watch the Dalek before Adam pulled her away, Harry following, off screen, the Dalek advancing.

"On my mark..." the commander began as the Dalek looked up at the soldiers, "Open fire!"

They all started shooting at the Dalek, but, like before, the bullets had no effect.

"We've got visual." Goddard stated.

"It wants us to see," the Doctor replied, glaring at the screen as the Dalek looked right into the camera.

It slowly started to levitate into the air until it was hovering near the ceiling. It shot at the fire alarm, causing the sprinklers to rain down on the guards. The bullets kept coming but the Dalek paid them no mind, just aiming its laser at a man whose feet were firmly placed on the ground and firing. The rest of the team on the floor fell like flies, the laser electrocuting them all in one go. The only ones left were the commander and another man on the scaffolding.

"Fall back!" the commander shouted, "Fall back!"

The Dalek simply exterminated them both with another electrifying shot of the laser, this time bouncing off the metal.

The office filled with silence as the Doctor blinked, watching the scene in heavy shock.

"Perhaps it's time for a new strategy, maybe we should consider abandoning this place," Van Statten muttered, stunned, giving in.

"Except there's no power to the helipad, sir," Goddard reminded him angrily, "We _can't_ get out."

"You said you could seal the vault," the Doctor recalled, getting up.

"It was designed to be a bunker," Van Statten nodded, going to the computer, "In the event of nuclear war, steel bulkheads…"

"There's not enough power, those bulkheads are massive," Goddard turned to the Doctor.

"We've got emergency power, we can reroute that to the bulkhead doors," the Doctor argued.

"We'd have to bypass the security codes, that would take a computer genius!"

"Good thing you've got me then," Van Statten replied.

"_You_ want to _help_?" the Doctor scoffed at him.

"I don't want to die, Doctor, simple as that. Nobody knows this software better than me."

A screen on the wall suddenly flashed on, the Dalek standing in the middle of the open area.

"Sir..." Goddard called, noticing it first. The Doctor and Van Statten looked up to see it.

"I shall speak _only_ to the Doctor," the Dalek stated.

The Doctor slowly straightened, fixing his gaze on the Dalek, "You're gonna get rusty," the Doctor commented.

"I fed off the DNA of Rose Tyler. Extrapolating the biomass of a time traveller regenerated me."

"What's your next trick?"

"I have been searching for the Daleks."

"Yeah, I saw," he rolled his eyes, "Downloading the Internet," he walked around the table to stand before the screen, "What did you find?"

"I scanned your satellites and radio telescopes…"

"And?" he shook his head, waiting for the inevitable point and realization.

"Nothing," it stated, before its voice rose, sounding distressed, "Where shall I get my orders now?"

"You're just a soldier without commands."

"Then I shall follow the primary order, the Dalek instinct to destroy! To conquer!"

"What for?" he asked, exasperated, "What's the point?" there was silence a moment, "Don't you see? It's all gone. Everything you were, everything you stood for."

"Then what should I do?"

"Alright then," he nodded slowly, "If you want orders...follow this one: kill yourself."

"The Daleks must survive!"

"The Daleks have _failed_. Why don't you finish the job and make the Daleks extinct? Rid the Universe of your filth, why don't you just die?!" he shouted furiously, hatred evident in his voice.

The Dalek was silent for a moment, "You would make a good Dalek."

And then the screen went blank as the Doctor stared, dumbstruck. He turned to Van Statten, "Seal the vaults."

Van Statten nodded, getting to work as the Doctor joined him, both of them typing away at the computers, "I can leech power off the ground defences, feed it to the bulkheads," Van Statten told him before smiling, "It's been _years_ since I had to work this fast."

"Are you _enjoying_ this?" the Doctor frowned at him.

"Doctor," Goddard leaned over, "They're still down there."

He nodded, pulling out his sonic and flashing the comm. to connect to Rose's phone.

"This isn't the best time," she answered.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"Level 49," Rose panted, sounding like she was running up the stairs.

"You've got to keep moving. The vault's being sealed off, bulkhead Level 46."

"Can't you stop them closing?"

"_I'm_ the one who's closing them. I can't wait and I can't help you. Now for God's sake, _run_."

"Done it," Van Statten called, "We've got power to the bulkheads."

"The Dalek's right behind them," Goddard reported from her spot observing the Dalek's tracker.

"We're nearly there," Rose gasped, "Give us two seconds."

"Doctor, I can't sustain the power," Van Statten shook his head, "The whole system is failing," the Doctor looked up at him, seeing the red areas of the computer, the power, fading in and out, "Doctor, you've got to close the bulkheads."

The Doctor paused, staring at the key that would close down the bulkhead, trying to muster the strength.

"I'm sorry," he breathed to Rose, hitting the key. The bulkhead began to close.

"Come on!" they could hear Adam shouting to Rose and Harry over the comm.

The Doctor stared at the monitor of the computer intently, waiting.

"The vault is sealed," Van Statten confirmed.

The Doctor leapt out of his seat, "Rose, where are you? Rose, did you make it?"

"Sorry," she replied, out of breath, Harry panting as he leant against the wall. "We were a bit slow," his eyes widened in horrible shock, "See you then, Doctor," he was just silent, "It wasn't your fault," she added, her voice trembling, "Remember that, ok? It _wasn't_ your fault. And do you know what?" she choked up a bit, "I wouldn't have missed it for the world…"

"Exterminate!"

The sound of the laser fired.

The Doctor tore off his earpiece as the office fell into a stunned silence.

"I killed them," he breathed.

"I'm sorry," Van Statten murmured.

The Doctor turned to him, "I said I'd protect her. She was only here because of _me_, and you're _sorry_? I could've killed that Dalek _in its cell_. But _you_ stopped me."

"It was the prize of my collection! It actually _looked_ alien!"

"Your _collection_?" the Doctor spat, furious, his hand tightening around that of the Time Lady, "But was it worth it? Worth all those men's deaths? Worth the last Praecantrian in the universe? Worth Rose?" no reply, "Let me tell you something, Van Statten. Mankind goes into space to explore. To be part of something greater."

"Exactly!" he stood, "I wanted to touch the stars!"

"You just want to drag the stars down and stick them underground underneath tons of sand and dirt," the Doctor countered vehemently, "And label them. You're about as far from the stars as you can get. And you took her down with you! She was nineteen years old."

* * *

Rose closed her eyes ready for the Dalek to kill her, hearing it approach, heard the laser fire...but then...nothing. She opened her eyes cautiously and looked around, Harry was staring at it with wide eyes backed against the bulkhead. "Go on then, kill us," there was no reply so she spun around angrily, "Why are you doing this?"

"I am armed," it warned her, "I _will_ kill. It is my purpose."

"They're all dead because of you!"

"They are dead because of _us_."

Rose's mouth dropped open, shaken by that,

"And now what? What're you waiting for?" Harry asked, stepping forward. It responded by firing its laser at him. It missed spectacularly, hitting the roof above him. Harry looked at it confused.

"You interfered with my beam distributor?!" it cried furiously.

"I didn't do anything." Harry said quietly.

"I feel your fear." It said turning to Rose

"What do you expect?!"

"Daleks do not fear. _Must_ not fear," it shot a laser at Rose, missing her completely, shooting the wall on either side of her, "You gave me life!" it cried, hysterical, "What else have you given me? I am _contaminated_!"

* * *

Adam stepped out of the lift and into Van Statten's office, the Doctor rounding on him.

"You were quick on your feet, leaving Harry and Rose behind!" he shouted.

"_I'm_ not the one who sealed the vault!" Adam cried, indignant.

Suddenly the screen sprang to life, revealing Rose to be standing by the Dalek's side, "Open the bulkhead or Rose Tyler dies," it threatened.

The Doctor took a few steps towards the screen, so relieved to see her, "You're alive!"

"Can't get rid of me," she tried to smile.

"I thought you were dead… Where's Harry?"

"Over here!" he called sticking his head into view.

"Silence!" the Dalek order.

"Oh shut it, you big pepper pot." He scoffed. "It can't hit me for some reason."

"Open the bulkhead!" the Dalek cut in.

"Don't do it!" Rose shouted.

"What use are emotions if you will not save the woman you love?"

The Doctor was stunned, staring at the Dalek in confusion. He knew he didn't love Rose, she was a friend, a companion, and in a way he loved her as only that. But to hear a _Dalek_ speaking of _love_, as though trying to understand it…but that was a Dalek, they would do anything to complete the mission.

He turned to Van Statten, "It killed her once," he walked around to the computer, "I can't let it do it again," and hit the return key, opening the bulkhead for Rose and the Dalek to go through.

"What do we do now?" Van Staten cried, "You bleeding heart, what the hell do we do?"

The Doctor just stared at him wordlessly.

"Kill it when it gets here!" Adam said.

"All the guns are useless and the alien weapons are in the vault," Goddard reminded him.

"Only the catalogued ones," Adam replied.

Van Statten turned to him, eyebrows raised, while Adam just looked back at him apologetically.

* * *

The Doctor stood in Adam's workroom, going through a basket of the un-catalogued weapons.

"Broken," he commented, lifting one and chucking it aside to take another, "Broken," he chucked that one too and grabbed one more, "Hairdryer."

"Mr. Van Statten tends to dispose of his staff," Adam explained, watching him, "And when he does he wipes their memory. I kept this stuff in case I needed to fight my way out one day."

"What, _you_ in a _fight_?" the Doctor scoffed, eyeing him, "I'd like to see _that_."

"I could do," Adam pouted, mildly offended.

"What're you gonna do, throw your A-Levels at 'em?" he retorted before picking up the last gun, "Oh, yes. Lock and load!"

* * *

Harry, Rose and the Dalek stood in the lift to Van Statten's office, the atmosphere very tense, as Harry and Rose watched the Dalek's laser arm twitch, "I'm _begging_ you, don't kill them. You didn't kill me." Rose said desperately.

The Dalek spun its eyestalk to Rose so fast she had to duck back out of the way to avoid it, "But why not?" it asked her, "Why are you alive? My function is to _kill_. What am I? What _am_ I?"

The door opened to reveal Van Statten standing there, waiting.

"Don't move!" Rose warned, "Don't do anything, it's beginning to question itself."

The Dalek advanced toward Van Statten, "Van Statten. You _tortured_ me. Why?"

Van Statten backed away, clearly terrified, "I wanted to help you, I just…I don't know, I…I was just trying to _help_. I thought if we could get through to you, if we could mend you…I wanted you better, I'm sorry," he glanced back as he was backed against a wall, "I'm so sorry! I swear! I just wanted you to talk!"

"Then hear me talk now. Exterminate! Exterminate!"

Van Statten winced, preparing.

"Exterminate!"

"Don't do it!" Rose rushed over, "Don't kill him!" the Dalek spun to face her as she looked straight into its eyestalk, "You don't have to do this anymore. There must be something _else_. Not just killing, what else is there? What d'you want?"

The Dalek turned back to Van Statten and then to Rose, "I want freedom."

* * *

Rose and Harry walked down the corridor of Floor 01 with the Dalek, stopping in the centre as it fired a laser at the ceiling making a hole through which sunlight flooded the room, shining on them, "You're out," she told it, "You made it," she looked up and smiled

Harry breathed "Never thought I'd feel the sunlight again." He grinned staring up at the hole.

"How...does...it...feel?" it wondered.

A moment later, Harry and Rose stepped back as the Dalek opened up its casing to reveal the mutated creature within. It looked like an octopus with a deflated brain, one eye, and tentacles. It lifted one of its tentacles out towards the sunlight. They gazed at it, stunned, until a voice behind them made them jump.

"Get out of the way!" the Doctor shouted.

They spun around to see him holding a gun, pointing it at the Dalek.

"Harry, Rose, get out of the way, now!"

"No!" Rose shook her head, "'Cos I won't let you do this!"

"That thing killed _hundreds_ of people."

"It's not the one pointing the gun at me," she countered coldly.

"I've _got_ to do this. I've got to _end_ it. The Daleks _destroyed_ my home, my people and Harry's too! I've got nothing left!"

"But look at it," she stepped aside and gestured towards it.

"What's it doing?" he asked, confused.

"It's the sunlight. That's all it wants!"

"But it can't..." he shook his head, his voice shaking.

"It couldn't kill Van Statten, it couldn't kill me, it's _changing_. What about you, Doctor? What the hell are _you_ changing into?"

The Doctor lowered the gun, looking completely lost, "I couldn't..." he breathed, close to tears, as Rose stared at him. "I wasn't..." he looked at the Dalek and back to Rose, "Oh, Rose. They're all dead." Harry stood off to the side unsure of what to do.

"Why do we survive?" the Dalek asked him.

"I don't know."

"I am the last of the Daleks," the Dalek replied, making an effort to speak before its suction arm twitched at them,

"You're not even that. Rose did more than regenerate you. You've absorbed her DNA. You're mutating."

"Into what?"

"Something new." He gazed at the Dalek still looking slightly stunned. "I'm sorry."

"Isn't that better?" Rose asked.

"Not for a Dalek." He said sadly.

"I... can feel... so many ideas... so much darkness..." the Dalek struggled to speak. "Rose... give me orders. Order me to die."

"I - I can't do that." She said shaking her head.

"This is not life. This is sickness. I... shall not be like you. Order my destruction!"

Rose said nothing, staring at the Dalek sadly.

"Obey! Obey! Obey!"

"Do it." She murmured breathing heavily.

"Are you frightened Rose Tyler?"

"Yes."

"So am I... Exterminate." The armour slid back closed.

Rose quickly backed away running over to where the Doctor stood in shock. Harry ran over to stand with them as the Dalek rose off the ground. The gold balls on the outer panels came out surrounding the Dalek in a sphere formation. Electricity formed around it, between the balls, causing the Dalek to explode. The field and the balls went inside the explosion leaving nothing behind.

* * *

Goddard walked slowly up to Van Statten as he stood in the hallway, several guards behind him. She nodded and they grabbed him by the shoulders, pushing him backwards as she followed them at a brisk walk.

"What the hell are you doing?!" he cried.

"Two hundred personnel _dead_, and all because of you, _sir_," she replied coldly, "Take him away, wipe his memory, and leave him by the road someplace."

"You can't do this to me! I am _Henry Van Statten_!"

"And by tonight, Henry Van Statten will be a homeless, brainless junkie living on the streets of San Diego, Seattle, Sacramento," she turned away with a flourish and a very satisfied smile, "Someplace beginning with 'S.'"

* * *

"So, Harry, what do you think?" the Doctor said proudly, leaning on the side of the TARDIS.

"That you said you had a ship. This is a big blue wooden box." He said frowning.

"That's just a disguise." He patted it. "This is the TARDIS. Time And Relative Dimensions In Space."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Alright then, if you don't believe me, go have a look." He grinned at Rose. "This is the best part."

"Fine," Harry rolled his eyes. He stepped into the TARDIS. And promptly walked back out an expression of shock on his face.

"Well?" the Doctor asked smugly.

"It's bigger on the inside." He whispered.

"Hadn't really noticed." The Doctor shrugged while Rose was trying to stop herself from laughing.

"And it goes anywhere?" Harry asked breathlessly.

"And anywhen." Rose supplied. Harry looked ecstatic.

"And you can come with us." The Doctor said happily. "That is, if you want to."

"Why wouldn't I? This is amazing!"

"Welcome aboard then!" the Doctor grinned.

"We'd better get out!" Adam called, jogging up to them just as the Doctor was about to open the door, "Van Statten's disappeared...they're closing down the base," the Doctor turned to face him, his arms folded, not very pleased with the interruption, "Goddard says they're going to fill it full of _cement_! Like it never existed!"

"About time," Rose agreed with the decision.

"I'll have to go back home."

"Better hurry up then," the Doctor checked his watch, "Next flight to Heathrow leaves at 1500 hours."

"Adam was saying that all his life he's wanted to see the stars..." Rose hinted hopefully at the Doctor.

"Tell him to go and stand outside then," he replied.

"He's all on his own, Doctor. And he _did_ help."

"He _left_ you down there!"

"So did _you_!"

"What're you talking about?" Adam cut in, "We've got to _leave_!"

"Rose, he's a bit pretty," the Doctor remarked, his eyes on Rose, Harry watching their banter curiously.

"I hadn't noticed," Rose replied innocently.

The Doctor raised his eyebrows sceptically and turned to the TARDIS, "On your own head."

"What're you _doing_?" Adam asked as the Doctor entered the box, "She said '_cement_,'" he added when the captive alien entered as well, "She wasn't joking, we're going to get sealed in…" followed by Rose, "Doctor?" he called, very concerned for their sanity, "What're you doing standing inside a box? Rose?" he peered through the doors and stepped inside.

**AN: Phew. That took a while. I had fun writing the scenes that I did. **

**Anyway, you should all know that I came up with Praecantria myself which means no touchy. Seriously, use without permission and you die a slow and painful death. Sadistic remember.**

**Ahem, so, reviews are appreciated, constructive criticism only, luv to everyone who faved/followed/reviewed.**


	3. The Long Game

**DISCLAIMER: I could waste your time with a boring and long disclaimer explaining why I don't own Doctor Who or Harry Potter, such as one: I am not a blonde British woman with a worldwide successful book/movie series or B or two: I haven't ever been to Cardiff therefore a 90's born girl like myself can't possibly worked on a British Sci-Fi series, but let's face it. Neither of us can really be bothered reading/typing it. So instead I'll just assume you've already stopped reading this and get on with the story shall I?**

~CHAPTER THREE~

"So, here we are." The Doctor grinned as the TARDIS groaned to a halt.

"And here is?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's a surprise." The Doctor said mysteriously.

"Ok." Harry blinked. "But, I can't exactly go out there wearing this can I? I look like I belong in a hospital!" He gestured to the plain white cotton clothes he'd been wearing since before they'd left Van Statten's basement.

"Come on then!" Rose said beaming. "I'll show you to the wardrobe." With that, she grabbed Harry's wrist and practically dragged him to some obscure part of the TARDIS.

The wardrobe, as it turned out, was an immense room filled with all kinds of clothing. It took some time for Harry to locate an ordinary looking red t-shirt, a black jacket and faded blue jeans. He managed to find plain-looking trainers and socks amongst the huge range of footwear the TARDIS had to offer too, which was a plus.

Once Harry had everything he needed, Rose gave him some privacy to get dressed before the two of them headed back to the console room.

The Doctor and Rose were the first out of the TARDIS and shut the doors behind them, leaving Harry and Adam inside. They stood awkwardly, avoiding each other gazes, not talking.

Normally, Harry would have tried talking to the stranger, to try to diffuse the tension a bit. At least, that was what Fred and George would probably do. Harry stopped that train of thought immediately. The only Weasley's that were real were Ron and Ginny, and it still hurt to think about them. Getting back on topic though, the only reason that was stopping Harry from talking to Adam was that he was associated with Van Statten which left him feeling nervous around him.

He almost sighed in relief when Rose called them out, only catching himself just.

"Oh my god." Adam breathed taking in the completely different room.

"Do worry, you'll get used to it." Rose said grinning.

"Where are we?" Harry asked looking around curiously. He might have been a little more shocked, if it weren't for the fact that he already experienced going from one place to another instantly, even if it was only in the dream world. That also helped with the whole "bigger on the inside" thing with the TARDIS. He denied being shocked in the first place when Rose had called him out for laughing at Adam's reaction earlier, explaining about the tents in the dream world.

"Good question." Rose said, clapping her hands together. "Let's see... Well, um, judging by the architecture, I'd say we're around the year two hundred thousand." She looked around at Adam's stunned expression before continuing. "If you listen... engines. We're on some sort of space station. Yeah, definitely a space station. It's a bit warm in here, they could turn the heatin' down. Tell you what, let's try that gate! Come on." she finished suddenly, pointing them in the direction of a gate off to the side of the plaza.

"Here we go." She grinned as they came out at a huge window stretching across the whole wall. "And this is... I'll let the Doctor describe it."

"The fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. And there it is; Planet Earth at its height. Covered with megacities, five moons, population ninety-six billion. The hub of a galactic domain, stretching across a million planets, a million species, with mankind right in the middle."

They stared out at the Earth for a few moments before Adam promptly fainted.

Harry stared at the collapsed man in alarm.

"He's your boyfriend." The Doctor said without looking at Adam.

"Not anymore." Rose sighed.

* * *

"Come on, Adam, open your mind." The Doctor was saying, arms draped Rose and Adam's shoulders, Rose with her left arm around Harry's shoulders. "You're gonna like this, fantastic period of history. The human race at its most intelligent, culture, art, politics. This era's got fine food, good manners,-"

"Outta the way!" a man shouted as suddenly the stalls opened up and people began bustling about. There was a buzz of movement as people rushed about; buying what appeared to be fast food. The quartet stood there amidst the crowd.

"Fine cuisine?" Rose questioned.

"My watch must be wrong." The Doctor frowned looking at it. "No, it's fine."

"Comes with showin' off. Your history's not as good as you thought it was." Rose smirked.

"My history's perfect." The Doctor retorted.

"Well obviously not."

"They're all human, what about the millions of planets, millions of species? Where are they?" Adam asked.

"Good question. Actually that is a good question." The Doctor looked Adam. "Adam! Me old mate! You must be starvin'!"

"No, I'm just a bit timesick." Adam said uncertainly as the Doctor patted him on the back.

"Nah, ya just need a bit of grub!" the Doctor grinned. "Oi mate! How much is a Kronk burger?" he asked the vendor.

"Two credits twenty, sweatheart. Now join the queue." The man replied.

"Money. We need money." The Doctor said suddenly rushing off, the others following.

Harry trailed behind them, looking around uneasily. Being trapped in a cell for six months had left him slightly unsure of how to act around humans. Didn't really help that he knew now that he wasn't one of them.

"Let's use a cash point," The Doctor was saying as he took out his sonic screwdriver, an announcement playing overhead. He sonicked the machine, producing a flat metal stick which he then handed to Adam. "There you go, pocket money, don't spend it all on sweets."

"But how's it work?" Adam asked staring at it.

"Go and find out!" the Doctor looked exasperated. "Stop nagging me! The thing is, Adam, time travel's like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guide book; you've got to throw yourself in. Eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers." Rose started laughing. "Or is that just me? Stop asking questions. Go on! Do it!" He waved Adam away. Harry grinned as the stunned human walked off. Rose stared after him.

"Off you go then." The Doctor called to her. "Your first date."

"You're gonna get a smack, you are!" Rose grinned and followed Adam.

"Stay with me, Harry." The Doctor's grin faded into a far more serious expression. Harry, followed, curious as the Doctor walked up to a pair of women.

"Um, this is gonna sound daft, but can you tell me where I am?" he asked them.

"Floor One-Three-Nine? Could they write it any bigger?" the dark skinned woman replied sarcastically gesturing to the huge silver numbers on the wall.

"Floor One-Three-Nine of what?" the Doctor asked, not missing a beat.

"Must of been a hell of a party." The first woman replied.

"Uh, you're on Satellite Five," the second woman piped up.

"What's Satellite Five?"

"Oh come on, how could you get on board without knowing where you are?" the first woman asked.

"Look at me, I'm stupid." The Doctor said. Harry couldn't help but grin at that.

"Hold on, wait a minute, are you a test?" the second woman said suddenly. "Some sort of management test kind of thing?"

"You've got me, well done." The Doctor pulled out a leather wallet and flashed an ID card of some sort at the women. "You're too clever for me." Noticing that the ruse would be over if he reacted, Harry kept quiet, internally confused by the false ID. How had he done that?

"We were warned about this in basic training." The second woman said to the first. "All workers have to be versed in company promotion."

"Right." The first woman collected herself. "Fire away, ask me your questions. If it gets me to Floor Five Hundred I'll do anything."

"Why, what happens on Floor Five Hundred?" The Doctor asked frowning.

"The walls are made of gold." The first woman said as though it should be obvious. "You should know, Mr Management. So, this is what we do." She led them over to a wall covered in screens.

The second woman grinned nervously at Harry, before following her colleague. Harry blinked, trailing after the Doctor.

"Latest news – sandstorms on the New Venus Archipelago, two hundred dead, the Glasgow water riots into their third day, Space Lane seventy seven closed by sunspot activity, and over on the Bad Wolf Channel, the Face of Boe has just announced he's pregnant."

"You broadcast the news." Harry nodded, getting it.

"We _are_ the news." She corrected him. "We're the journalists. We write it, package it, sell it. Six hundred channels, all coming out of Satellite Five, broadcasting everywhere. Nothing happens in the whole human empire without it going through us."

* * *

"Oi! Mutt and Jeff! Over here!" the Doctor called to Rose and Adam as a horn sounded signalling the workers to return to the "newsgathering".

The Doctor introduced Rose and Adam and then the quartet followed the journalists into another room.

"Now, everybody behave, we have a management inspection." The first woman from before announced turning to the group standing off to the side. "How do you want it, by the book?"

"Right from scratch, thanks." The Doctor answered.

She took a deep breath. "Ok. So, ladies, gentlemen, multisex, undecided or robot, my name is Cathica Santini Khadeni. That's Cathica with a C, in case you want to write to Floor Five Hundred praising me, and please do." She smiled at the Doctor. "Now, please feel free to ask any questions, the process of newsgathering must be open, honest and beyond biased. That's company policy." Cathica smiled at the Doctor again.

"A-actually, um, it's the law." The other woman from earlier spoke up.

"Yes, thank you, Suki." Cathica said in an irritated tone. She moved to sit in the chair positioned in the centre of the room. "Ok, keep it calm, don't show off for the guests, here we go. And engage safety." The people seated around the platform hovered their hands above the green handprint shapes. The panels on the walls lit up one by one causing the time travellers to glance around at them.

Cathica clicked her fingers and a small circle open in the centre of her forehead revealing a portion of her brain. "And three, two, and spike." A beam of blue-white light streamed down from the device on the ceiling to her brain.

"Woah," Harry whispered, wide eyed.

"Compressed information." The Doctor explained. "Streaming into her from every city, every country, every planet. And they all get packaged inside her head, she becomes part of the software. Her brain is the computer."

"But if it all goes through her, she must be a genius." Rose breathed.

"Nah." The Doctor shook his head, moving around the raised platform. "She wouldn't remember it, it's too much. Her head'd blow up. The brain's the processer. Soon as it closes she forgets."

"So, what about all these people 'round the edge?" Rose asked.

"They've all got tiny little chips inside their heads, connecting them to her. And they transmit, six hundred channels. Every single fact in the empire beams out of this place. Now that's what I call power." He stopped next to Adam who was looking thoughtful.

"You alright?" Rose asked walking up to Adam.

"I can see her brain." He said awed.

"Yup." Harry swallowed. "Y'know, cause being able to see someone's brain is exciting."

"Do you wanna get out?" Rose asked him, concerned.

"Oh, nah, it's just there was an incident in the dream world involving brains in tanks. Nothing big, it was just creepy." Harry shrugged.

"Do I even want to know why there were brains in tanks?"

"Nope." He grimaced.

"This technology... it's amazing!" Adam exclaimed, not even noticing what was said.

"This technology's wrong." The Doctor murmured.

"Trouble?" Rose asked, turning to him.

"Oh yeah." He grinned.

At that moment Suki flinched without opening her eyes. Seconds later she jerked away from the system, as though burned and the whole thing shut off. The other journalists looked around in surprise.

"Come off it, Suki! It wasn't even halfway! What was that for?" Cathica said angrily after her head shut.

"Sorry!" Suki gasped holding her hand. "It must've been a glitch."

"_Promotion."_ A huge monitor announced conveniently.

"Oh god, this is it. Come on!" Cathica was whispering to herself desperately. "Oh my god. Make it me. Say my name, say my name. Say my name!"

"_Promotion for: Suki Macrae Cantrell."_ Suki's jaw dropped in shock. "_Please proceed to Floor Five Hundred."_

"I can't believe it." Suki breathed, standing up. "Floor Five Hundred."

"How did you manage that? I'm above you!" Cathica said, confused and angry.

"I-I don't know, I just applied on the off chance. And they said yes!" she spun around in delight.

"That's so not fair. I've been applying to Floor Five Hundred for three years!" Cathica snapped.

"What's Floor Five Hundred?" Rose asked.

The Doctor stared at the still flashing monitor grimly. "The walls are made of gold."

* * *

"Cathica, I'm gonna miss you." Suki smiled. "Floor Five Hundred. Thank you." She said to the Doctor.

"I didn't do anything." He shrugged.

"Well, you're my lucky charm!"

"Alright, I'll hug anyone." He grinned and proceeded to hug Suki.

Rose went to talk to Adam who was hanging back.

"Oh and thank you too!" Suki turned to Harry, causing the teen to jump in surprise.

He ran his fingers through his hair, accidently making it an even greater mess. "Oh, um, ok." He said awkwardly, also receiving a hug. Suki's good mood was catching, he couldn't help but smile too.

"You'll be alright, though?" Harry asked as soon as she let him go. He was concerned as to why Suki got a promotion, right after the mess up during the newsgathering process.

"Oh yeah, I'll be just fine! Golden walls here I come!" she grinned at them while Cathica just rolled her eyes. Harry thought she was acting a bit like the fox in that story about grapes. She didn't get the promotion so she was acting like she didn't care.

As Rose came back over to join them again, Adam having gone off somewhere else, Suki suddenly cried out. "Oh my god, I've got to go! Can't keep them waiting! Sorry!" and with that she ran to the lift carrying her bags. She turned around and called back to Cathica. "And say goodbye to Steve for me! Bye!"

They waved as the lift closed.

"Good riddance." Cathica grumbled sourly.

"You're talking like we'll never see her again. She's only going upstairs." The Doctor frowned at Cathica.

"We won't."Cathica said. "Once you go to Floor Five Hundred you never come back."

Harry stared at the doors to the lift, alarmed. "That doesn't seem suspicious at all." He quipped sarcastically.

* * *

"Have you ever been up there?" the Doctor asked Cathica.

"You can't. You need a key for the lift and you only get a key with a promotion." She stated. "No-one gets to Five Hundred except the chosen few."

"Don't you think that's a bit weird though?" Harry frowned. "No one down here has ever been to Floor Five Hundred and anyone who has never comes back down."

"No. That's just the way it works." Cathica looked at him uncertainly.

"Well, I think it is. Because Suki got promoted right after that little "glitch" in the system. It doesn't seem like coincidence to me. It sounds like she was singled out."

"How would you know?" she asked, looking at him. Harry barely noticed the Doctor and Rose staring at him too.

"A few years ago a close friend of mine worked out the reason behind attacks on students at our school. Before she could tell anyone, she was attacked too." He shrugged. "It's a basic way to avoid being discovered. Remove the threat before it becomes a real problem."

"You're good at this." The Doctor remarked.

"Thank you." Harry grinned.

"But Harry's got a point, Suki was singled out, and whatever it is going on up on Floor Five Hundred, it can't be good."

Cathica kept walking, leading them back to the newsgathering room. "Look, they only give us twenty minutes maintenance, can't you give it a rest?"

"But you've never been to another floor? Not even one floor down?" The Doctor pressed, hopping onto the chair.

"Well I went to Floor Sixteen when I first arrived, that's medical, that's when I got my head done, and then I came straight here. Satellite Five, we work, eat and sleep on the same floor. That's it, that's all." She looked up from the clipboard. "You're not from management, are you?"

"At last! She's clever!" the Doctor looked up at her.

"Well, whatever it is, don't involve me I don't know anything."

"Don't you even ask?"

"Well, why would I?"

"You're a journalist!" he turned back to the panel he was fiddling with. "Why's all the crew human?"

"What's that got to do with anything?" Cathica said uncomfortably.

"There's no aliens on board."

"I dunno, they're not banned or anything."

"Then where are they?"

She paused, thinking. "I suppose immigration's tightened up. It's had to, what with all the threats."

"What threats?"

"I dunno, all of them, usual stuff. And the price of space warp doubled so that kept the visitors away. Oh and the government on Traffic Five collapsed so that lot stopped coming, you see. Just lots of little reasons that's all." She finished waving him off.

"Adding up to one great big fact and you didn't even notice." The Doctor said thoughtfully.

"Doctor, if there was some sort of conspiracy, I think Satellite Five would have seen it. We see everything."

"I can see better." He countered. "This society's the wrong shape. Even the technology."

"It's cutting edge!"

"It's backwards! There's a great big door in your head! You should have chucked this out years ago."

"So what do you thinks going on?" Rose cut in.

"It's not just this space station, it's the whole attitude. It's the way people think. The Great and Bountiful Human Empire's stunted. Something's holding it back."

"And how would you know?" Cathica asked sceptically.

"Trust me. Humanity's been set back about ninety years." he paused. "When did Satellite Five start broadcasting?"

Cathica looked uncomfortable. "Ninety-one years ago."

The Doctor nodded grimly to himself.

* * *

"So gonna get in trouble." Cathica grumbled. The Doctor ignored her and started sonicking a panel on the wall. "You're not allowed to touch the mainframe, you'll get told off!"

"Rose, Harry, one of you tell her to button it." He said without looking up.

"You can't just vandalise the place, someone's gonna notice!" Cathica hissed.

A moment later the little door unlocked and the Doctor yanked it open and began to fiddle with the numerous wires inside.

"It's got nothing to do with me, I'm going back to work!" she finally snapped after the system sparked.

"Go on then! See ya!" the Doctor called cheerfully.

"I can't just leave you, can I?!" She spun back around.

Rose had clearly had enough of her. "If you want to be useful, tell 'em, to turn the heatin' down! It's boiling! What's wrong with this place, can't they do something about it?"

"I don't know! We keep asking about it. Something to do with the turbines."

"Something to do with the turbines." The Doctor mocked.

"Well I don't know!" Cathica said exasperated.

"Exactly! I gave up on you Cathica. Now Rose, look at Rose, she's asking the right kind of questions."

"Oh, thank you," Rose looked pleased by the praise.

"Why's it so hot?" he continued.

"Oh one minute you're worried about the empire next minute it's the central heating!"

"Little facts adding up to one big one, remember Cathica?" Harry looked at her pointedly. "If there's one thing I've learnt from school it's that you should never underestimate plumbing. The inner workings of any structure can show you what's really going on."

"I think I'll keep you around." The Doctor mused as he accidently yanked out some wires.

"Thanks, you make me sound like a stray dog."

"Well, you're scruffy enough to be one." Rose teased ruffling his already messy hair.

"Hey!" he protested, smoothing the aforementioned hair.

Cathica rolled her eyes, exasperated.

Moments later, the Doctor turned around the monitor to show Cathica. "There you go, Satellite Five. Pipes and plumbing. Look at the layout." He moved aside so she could see the screen.

"This is ridiculous. You've got access to the computer's core. You could look at the archive, the news, the stock exchange... and you looking at pipes." She turned to the Doctor.

"But there's something wrong."

"I suppose." She turned back to the screen.

"Why? What is it?" Rose asked sounding concerned.

"The ventilation system, cooling ducts, ice filters, all working flat out. Channelling massive amounts of heat down." She looked up at the ceiling.

"All the way from the top." The Doctor finished.

"Floor Five Hundred." Rose summarised, Harry nodding along.

"Something up there is generating tonnes and tonnes of heat."

"Well, I don't know about you, but I feel like I'm missing out on a party." Rose said. "It's all going on upstairs. Fancy a trip?"

"I'm in." Harry grinned.

"You can't!" Cathica interrupted. "You need a key."

"Keys are just codes. And I've got the codes right here." The Doctor move forwards to press some buttons on the monitor. "Here we go. Override two-one-five point nine."

"How come it's giving you the code?" Cathica asked indignant.

"Someone up there likes me." As he said this he looked up at a well concealed security camera.

* * *

"Come on, come with us!" Rose called back to Cathica as they stepped into the lift.

She shook her head in disbelief. "No way!"

"Bye!" the Doctor waved at her merrily.

"Well, don't mention my name! When you get in trouble, don't involve me!" Cathica said desperately before storming of.

"That's her gone then." The Doctor turned to Rose and Harry smiling. "Adam's given up, so it looks like it's just us three."

"Yeah." Rose agreed as Harry hummed.

"Good."

"Yep." Rose smiled.

The Doctor put the access codes into the lift and the doors slid shut smoothly.

When they opened again to reveal the mysterious Floor Five Hundred, it was freezing. The floor was covered in snow that crunched underfoot and the walls were frosted over.

"The walls are not made of gold." The Doctor stated sounding unsurprised.

"'Come into my parlour' said the spider to the flies." Harry quoted looking around.

"You should go back downstairs." The Doctor was directing this to both of them.

"Tough." Rose said and walked out of the lift. Harry followed her, throwing the Doctor a look that said he wasn't leaving either.

Harry shivered and held out his hands as if to warm them. Instead, a minute fire flared to life, balancing above his palms. He grinned in delight and kept walking the Doctor close behind him.

"Nice trick," the Doctor commented idly.

"Thanks," Harry replied as it faded. "I'm not really used to doing magic like this. If you can even call it magic."

"Best term for it. I don't think anyone came up with a name for it in the end."

"Maybe it didn't need one." Harry shrugged, shaking the dying embers off.

The trio turned into a side corridor and followed it, the Doctor taking the lead.

A man stood in the centre of a room watching a giant monitor intently, not seeming to even notice they were there. Then he suddenly turned to them and spoke. "I started without you." He laughed. "This is fascinating." He gestured to them. "Satellite Five contains every piece of information within the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire." The Doctor walked forwards to look at the screen. "Birth certificates, shopping habits, but you three! You don't exist. There's not a trace. No birth, no job, not the slightest kiss. How can you walk through the world and not leave a single footprint?"

Rose suddenly noticed Suki sitting at the end of the desk of workers. "Suki? Suki!" she ran over to the unresponsive woman. "Can you hear me? Suki? What have you done to her?"

"I think she's dead." The Doctor said solemnly.

"But... she's working."

"They've all got chips in their heads and the chips keep going." The other man turned to look at the Doctor. "Like puppets."

"Ah-oh! You're full of information! But it's only fair that we get some information back. Because apparently, you're no-one." He laughed. "It's so rare not to know something. Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter cause we're off. Nice to meet you. Come on." The Doctor turned to leave but was immediately seized by a pair of the dead workers. Rose got up to follow and was grabbed by Suki around the wrist. Similarly, Harry was grabbed by the closest worker to him.

"Tell me who you are!" the Editor said jovially.

"Since that information's keeping us alive, I'm hardly gonna say am I?" The Doctor replied roughly.

Harry hissed angrily at the worker holding his arm and tried to shake them off.

"Well, perhaps my Editor in Chief can convince you otherwise." The Editor said stepping forwards.

"And who's that?"

The Editor looked around as if he was about to divulge a secret. "It may interest you to know that this is not the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. In fact, it's not actually human at all. It's merely a place where humans happen to live." The Editor paused for a moment listening to something in his earpiece. "Yeah, sorry. It's merely a place where humans are allowed to live by kind permission of my client." He snapped his fingers and pointed towards the ceiling.

The trio followed his gaze upwards to see a giant, slimy, blob-like alien attached to the roof, snapping its jaws and roaring at them.

"W-what is that?" Rose asked wide eyed.

The Doctor didn't look down. "You mean, that thing is in charge of Satellite Five?"

"That thing, as you put it, is in charge of the human race. For almost a hundred years, mankind has been shaped and guided, his knowledge and ambitions strictly controlled by its broadcast news, edited by my superior, your master, and humanity's guiding light, the Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodefoe. I call him Max." The Editor smiled.

The Doctor grinned back in a way that clearly said 'Yeah, thanks' before looking back at the Jagrafess grimly.

* * *

Harry decided that he'd had enough of cuffs and restraints in general. Presently, he, Rose and the Doctor were cuffed to some sort of mechanism covered in wires.

"Create a climate of fear, and it's easy to keep the borders closed." The Editor explained. "It's just a matter of emphasis. The right word in the right broadcast repeated often enough can destabilise an economy, invent an enemy, change a vote."

"So all the people on Earth are like slaves?" Rose asked.

"Well," the Editor started "now. There's an interesting point. Is a slave a slave if he doesn't know he's enslaved?"

Harry scoffed.

"Yes." The Doctor answered firmly.

"Oh. I was hoping for a philosophical debate. Is that all I'm gonna get? Yes."

"Yes."

The Editor laughed. "You're no fun."

"Let me out of these manacles. You'll find out how much fun I am."

"Oooh. He's tough isn't he? But come on. Isn't it a great system? You've gotta admire it, just a little bit."

"You can't hide something on this scale. Somebody must have noticed." Rose interrupted.

"From time to time, someone yes." The Editor started pacing around the room, while the Jagrafess snarled above them. "The computer chip system allows me to see inside their brains, I can see the smallest doubt, and crush it."

"See, that's what I said." Harry perked up, delighted that he was right. "Remove the threats."

"Time and place." The Doctor sighed.

"Right, yes, sorry. Continue."

So the Editor did. "Then they just carry on. Living the life. Strutting about downstairs and all over the surface of the Earth like they're soooo individual, when of course they're not. They're just cattle. In that respect, the Jagrafess hasn't changed a thing."

"What 'bout you?" Rose cut in. "You're not a Jagra-belly-"

"Jagrafess." The Doctor supplied.

"Jagrafess. You're not a Jagrafess. You're human."

"Yeah well, simply being human doesn't pay very well."

"But you couldn't have done this all on your own." Rose persisted.

"No." The Editor chuckled. "I represent a consortium of _banks_. Money prefers... a long term investment. Also the Jagrafess needed a little hand to um, install himself." He whispered the last two words as though he might offend the ceiling blob monster.

"No wonder, a creature that size." The Doctor remarked. "What's its lifespan?"

"Three thousand years."

"That's one hell of metabolism generating all that heat. That's why Satellite Five's so hot. You pump it out of the creature, channel it downstairs. Jagrafess stays cool, stays alive. Satellite Five is one great big life support system."

"But that's why you're so dangerous." The Editor said suddenly, snapping his fingers. "Knowledge is power. But you remain unknown." He snapped his fingers again which caused the manacles to start electrocuting the trio, as a form of torture.

Harry was quite proud to say that he had a fairly high tolerance to pain, having dealt with being a biology experiment for Van Statten. He hadn't experienced anything like this though.

"Who are you?" the Editor asked again as they writhed in pain.

"Leave them alone." The Doctor demanded after a few more seconds of pain. "I'm the Doctor, she's Rose Tyler, and he's Harry. We're nothing, we're just wandering."

"Tell me who you are!"

"I just said!"

"Yeah but, who do you work for? Who sent you? Who knows about us? What exact-" the Editor jumped suddenly, touching his hands to his temples and the Jagrafess roared.

He then looked at them in delight. "Time Lord." He said gesturing to the Doctor.

"What?" the Doctor said, stunned.

"Oh, yes. The last of the Time Lords and his travelling machine with his lost Praecantrian, oh and his little human girl from long ago." He brushed Rose's cheek with his hand, grinning eerily at them.

"Don't know what you're talking about." The Doctor growled.

"Time travel."

"Someone's been telling you lies."

"Young master, Adam Mitchell?" the Editor snapped his fingers revealing Adam crying out in pain from what appeared to be newsgathering gone wrong.

"Oh my god his head." Rose whispered.

"What the hell's he done? What the hell's he gone and done?" the Doctor yelled. "They're reading his mind, he's telling them everything!"

"And through him I know everything about you." The Editor concluded, sounding very satisfied. "Every piece of information in his head is now mine. And you have infinite knowledge, Doctor. The human empire is tiny compared to what you have seen in your, T-A-R-D-I-S, TARDIS."

"Well, you'll never get your hands on it. I'll die first!" the Doctor snarled.

"Die all you like. I don't need you. I've got the key."

The key floated up and out of Adam's pocket to taunt the Doctor further.

"Oh, you and your boyfriends!" the Doctor hissed to Rose.

"Today," the Editor went on. "We, are the headlines. We can rewrite history, we can prevent mankind from ever developing."

"And no one's gonna stop you. Because you've bred a human race that doesn't bother to ask questions. Stupid little slaves, believing every lie. They'll just trot right into the slaughterhouse if they're told it's made of gold."

"Cause you can _always_ trust that the media will tell the truth." Harry quipped sarcastically.

Not a few moments later, alarms started going off. The Editor rushed over to the puppets.

"What's happening?" he asked. He spun around. "Someone's disengaged the safety." He snapped his fingers. "Who's that?" Cathica had appeared on the monitor.

"It's Cathica!" Rose breathed.

"And she's thinking." The Doctor grinned. "She's using what she knows!"

"Terminate her access." The Editor told Suki.

"Everything I told her about Satellite Five; the pipes, the filters, she's reversing it! Look at that!" the Doctor gestured to the fast melting ice. "It's getting hot."

"I said terminate!" growing frustrated, the Editor placed his own hands over Suki's. "Burn out her mind!"

The machines sparked furiously, the puppets slumping over. The whole station began to tremble. Rose's manacles fell lose and Harry immediately set to work on his. He had to find the exact point of focus that would unlock it, as though he were picking a lock. He knew he'd succeeded when he heard his manacles spark and the pressure around his wrists fade.

"She's venting the heat up here." The Doctor explained. "The Jagrafess needs to stay cool and now it's sitting on top of a volcano." He laughed.

Meanwhile, the Editor was struggling to try to put everything back together. The Jagrafess was snarling furiously overhead.

"Uh- Uh- yes, I'm trying sir!" he was yelling. "But I don't know how she did it! It's impossible!"

He darted back to the control panels and shoved the limp Suki out of her chair.

Rose fumbled with the sonic screwdriver, trying to release the Doctor as the Jagrafess snapped at them. Harry flicked a tiny fireball at the Jagrafess which made it recoil, hissing.

"But what do I do?"she cried desperately.

"Flick the switch!" the Doctor yelled back.

Rose finally got the cuffs unlocked as they were showered in sparks. She ran up to Harry who was waiting anxiously at the exit.

"Oi mate!" the Doctor called. "Wanna bank on a certainty? Massive heat in a massive body. Massive bang." He wriggled free. "See ya in the headlines!" Grinning, he ushered his companions out the door.

The trio ran through the frozen rooms of Floor Five Hundred as Satellite Five shook, slipping into the room where Cathica was still engaged with the system. The Doctor snapped his fingers, closing Cathica's head and the connection. She opened her eyes to look up at him. The Doctor smiled at her.

* * *

"We're just gonna go." The Doctor was saying to Cathica as they sat near the fast food vendor. "I hate tidying up. Too many questions. You'll manage."

Cathica leaned forward, looking worried. "But you have to stay and explain it. No one's gonna believe me."

"Well, they might start believing a lot of things now. Human race should accelerate all back to normal."

"What about your friend?" Cathica asked looking at Adam who was standing near the TARDIS.

"He's not my friend." The Doctor stood up and turned to walk to the TARDIS.

"Now don't-" Rose started but stopped as the Doctor stalked towards Adam.

"I'm alright now." Adam was saying nervously. "Much better. And I've got the key!" he held it up as though it were a 'get out of jail free' card. "You know, it all worked out for the best." The Doctor grabbed the back of his shirt and snatched the key off him. "It's not actually my fault, because you were in charge-" he was cut off as the Doctor shoved him into the TARDIS.

They took off into the time vortex again, Adam throwing nervous glances around. When they landed, Harry stayed by the console, rather than following the others outside. He had a feeling this was Adam leaving for good. He didn't really care much for the bloke anyway.

Harry jumped when something brushed his mind. It felt like a friendly gesture though, like a hug, which was odd. It didn't happen again though, so Harry was left feeling confused.

A minute or so later the Doctor came back in, followed by Rose shortly after.

"So," Harry cleared his throat, deciding to ignore the telepathic encounter for the time being. "Where to next?"

**AN: That took a while to get down. But next chapter is completely original. Oh yeah. Did I mention that would be happening? I'll be adding in my own episode/chapter things here and there. I hope they're good! :D**

**Truthfully I hated this chapter. The Long Game isn't one of my favourite episodes. Out of season one that probably goes to The Empty Child.**

**Next chapter is titled Here there be Dragons. Hope it doesn't give away too much ;)**

**Reviews, favs and follows are greatly appreciated. 3**


End file.
